Diascia plant named ‘Sunjodi 042’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diascia  plant named ‘Sunjodi 042’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounding plant habit; strong flowering stems; early and long flowering period; numerous large white and pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Diascia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNJODI 042’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant, botanically known as Diascia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunjodi 042’.

The new Diascia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in St. Brides, Netherwent, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering Diascia plants with strong flowering stems and large attractive flowers.

The new Diascia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor on Jun. 7, 2008 in St. Brides, Netherwent, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Diascia hybrida identified as code number D5768, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent and with a proprietary selection of Diascia hybrida identified as code number D899, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Diascia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in St. Brides, Netherwent, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom on Aug. 20, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Diascia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in St. Brides, Netherwent, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom since Aug. 20, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Diascia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunjodi 042’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunjodi 042’ as a new and distinct Diascia plant:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Strong flowering stems.     -   3. Early and long flowering period.     -   4. Numerous large white and pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Diascia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia have longer flowering stems than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Diascia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in cold hardiness as plants of the new Diascia are more cold hardy than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the Diascia hybrida ‘Sunjodipi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,870. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in St. Brides, Netherwent, Monmouthshire, United Kingdom, plants of the new Diascia differed primarily from plants of ‘Sunjodipi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia were larger than plants of         ‘Sunjodipi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Sunjodipi’.     -   3. Plants of the new Diascia had fewer flowers per inflorescence         but more flowers per plant than plants of ‘Sunjodipi’.     -   4. Plants of the new Diascia and ‘Sunjodipi’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Sunjodipi’ had light red purple-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Diascia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Diascia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunjodi 042’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunjodi 042’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Diascia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the description was taken and five months old when the photographs were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diascia hybrida ‘Sunjodi 042’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Diascia             hybrida identified as code number D5768, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Diascia             hybrida identified as code number D899, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 18 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Semi-upright plant habit;             vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 34.9 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 59.6 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 24.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent; longitudinally ridged.         -   Color.—Close to 143B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Triangular.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Rugose, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Large single flowers arranged             on terminal and axillary racemes; flowers zygomorphic with             five lobes fused at the base and spurred; freely flowering             habit with about eight to ten flowers per raceme and about             163 flowers developing per plant; flowers face outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response and natural flowering season.—Early             flowering habit, plants begin flowering about three weeks             after planting; long flowering period, plants flower freely             and continuously from May to October in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 8.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.45 cm by 1.53 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5.6 mm. Diameter: About 4.1 mm.             Shape: Spherical. Color: Close to NN155C; towards the base,             close to 70C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals             modified into two upright banner petals, two lateral petals             and a larger lower lip petal. Banner lobe length: About             4.8 mm. Banner lobe width: About 7 mm. Lateral lobe length:             About 5.7 mm. Lateral lobe width: About 6.1 mm. Lower lobe             length: About 9.2 mm. Lower lobe width: About 9.5 mm. Banner             and lateral lobes shape: Orbicular. Lower lobe shape:             Broadly ovate. Banner, lateral and lower lobes apex:             Rounded. Banner, lateral and lower lobes margin: Entire.             Banner, lateral and lower petals texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Spur length: About 5.9 mm. Spur             diameter: About 5.4 mm. Spur orientation: Positioned towards             the flower or pointed inwardly. Color, banner, lateral and             lower petals: When opening, upper surface: Close to NN155C;             towards the base of the banner and lateral petals, close to             63A to 63B; towards the base of the basal petal, close to             4C. When opening, lower surface: Close to NN155D; towards             the base of the banner and lateral petals, close to 63A to             63C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155C; towards             the base of the banner and lateral petals, close to 63A to             63B; towards the base of the basal petal, close to 4D. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D; towards the base of             the banner and lateral petals, close to 63A to 63C. Spur:             Between 63C and NN155D; towards the apex, close to 61A.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a star-shaped             calyx. Length: About 1.8 mm. Width: About 1.2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature and             mature, upper surface: Close to 144B. Color, immature and             mature, lower surface: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Angle: Mostly erect to outwardly. Texture: Sparsely             pubescent. Color: Close to 143A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6.8 mm. Diameter: About 0.3 mm.             Angle: About 45° from the peduncle axis. Texture: Sparsely             pubescent. Color: Close to 163C tinted with close to 60C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number per flower:             About four. Stamen length: About 2.6 mm. Anther shape:             Bi-lobed, elliptic. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1.2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 17B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 8A. Gynoecium: Pistil number per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 2.7 mm. Style length: About             1.8 mm. Stigma shape: Orbicular. Stigma color: Close to             144C. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Diascia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Diascia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Diascia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Diascia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Diascia plant named ‘Sunjodi 042’ as illustrated and described. 